Shadow Star leaps through the mirror without a second thought. Her commanding voice echoing in your ears as she phases through to the blasted out world beyond. Distant Star illuminates the dark basement with her horn. You see what was powder on the floor. The hideous paw prints of the beast lead to the mirror. Two pairs of hooves and tiny paw prints head toward the mirror. You don’t have time to investigate further as Moon Dusk calls out, “Watch your eyes.” She kicks up a mini dust storm to check for more than one magic mirror. It seems only the mirror the tracks led to ripples as the dust passes through it, billowing in the wind around Shadow Star. 

“I..I am gonna lock the basement, to keep anypony else from coming down here. I need to convince Dark Shadow to close down the haunted house before anything else happens,” Ice Shine stammers before galloping up the stairs.

From what you can see of the land beyond the mirror, it is a place you really don’t want to visit. But there are several foals lost in that place and someone needs to rescue them. Steeling yourself, you step forward into the mirror. It feels like ice cold water against your face as you push through and step into the dark realm on the other side.

Looking around, you seem to have stepped out of a mirror on the ground floor of a ruined building. What remains of the place looks very similar to the house you left in Equestria, as do the rest of the ruins around it. For the most part it looks just like Ponyville, but not a single building remains standing. The moon is full, bathing everything in a mauve and silver glow that is far more chilling than it is magical. There is no sound, but shadows seem to flit from wall to wall. There is a cold breeze blowing through the ruins, which carries moans and sighs around each of you.

Distant Star and Shadow Star tend to the civilians. The town guard began forming to assist in escorting ponies to Nurse Redheart’s first aid tent set up in the town square. As you aid the guards, you catch a voice on the breeze. “I’m sorry, I can’t stay and chat. A banshee just flew into your house and your guests may lose more than some of their happiness if she stays,” the voice says and you recognize it to be Moon Dusk. She is speaking to a white stallion with dark hair, and dressed in enough dark clothes and wearing enough eyeliner to fit the trope of a Hot Trotic regular. It’s safe to guess this is Mr. Dark Shadow.

A wail that sounds more pony than ethereal monster echos from the house. Dark Shadow skulks out of your way. “As you can hear, we have quite the banshee lurking in the depths of the mansion. Enter if you dare,” Dark Shadow says, not giving up his act as a morbid showman. He does not stop any of you from entering and eventually shuffles to his post to give candy to some foals leaving the haunted house.

As you traverse the haunted house in search of the banshee, you see Dark Shadow and his trope of actors have truly went all out. If only the situation was one you could afford to take the time to truly savor a well put on haunted house. You see a room where all the furniture has been nailed to the ceiling, a corridor that is pitch black with black light paintings of ghosts, a room covered in blood, and a bedroom with a false floor that tilts gently as you walk across it. The trio of children are having a blast. It almost seems they had forgotten about the serious mission at hand. The actors really keep the children on their toes. Fortunately, they seem quicker than Dark Shadow on sensing you are not the average visitors and instruct you to head to the basement. They have an unicorn name Ice Shine acting as a ghost there. They seemed worried for her if you choose to explain the prospect a real ghost could be in the house.

The basement is deathly quiet as you descend. It is a very clear sign something is wrong. The rest of the haunted house has been loud and filled with ambient noise. A perceptive member among you will see a unicorn mare cowering in fear under the sheet of an old table. She sees you enter and raises a shaky hoof to the opposite side of the basement. Her voice fails her and only high pitched squeaks escape her. 

A horrid creature comes snarling from the shadows. Red eyes of burning coal deeply set in a massive black hound’s head emerges. It’s drool hissing as it burns through the basement floor. The creature springs at you with vicious speed. It is then the banshee reveals herself. She flies between you and the beast and belts out a hideous wail. 

“GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN. I WILL SEND THIS BEAST BACK TO WHENCE WE CAME!” she shouts, careful not to face anypony as she herds the beast towards the back wall.

You see the wall is lined with mirrors, no doubt meant to be used in Ice Shine’s bit to make it seem many ghosts haunt the basement. The creature and banshee phase right through one of them. The surface of the mirror ripples as they enter. The mirror is huge and glowing with gray light. On closer inspection, it does not reflect the basement you are standing in. You see a ruined basement framing a backdrop of Ponyville. It looks as if the house was blasted away years ago, and whatever did this left the twisted ruins of Ponyville in it’s wake. It is then Ice Shine sounds frantic behind you.

“Where? Where are the little ones that came with you? They didn’t..did they?” she says fretting about the room. She stops cold looking at the horrid mirror the beast and banshee went through.

The trio of children stand at attention and salute. “Yes, Mams!” Biscuit and Shadow Shimmer shout in unison. Pterygota buzzes his wings in response. The little colt has yet to make a sound like the other children. The trio quickly fall in line behind Shadow Star and Distant Star’s lead.

Outside the banshee is wailing as she charges through the air. Her voice bringing many civilians to their knees. A few have to be caught by their companions as they collapse. Moon Dusk finds herself diving and dodging aerial obstacles to keep on the incorporeal creature’s trail as she phases through the town.

“I SHOULD HAVE NEVER COME HERE! I SHOULD HAVE STAYED ON MY SIDE OF THE MIRROR, NO MATTER HOW BEAUTIFUL THIS PLACE IS!” the banshee wails in response to Moon Dusk. She begins speeding towards the local haunted house and phases through it’s roof.

Every Nightmare Night, one house in the center of Ponyville becomes a place of mystery and horror. This old mansion becomes haunted for the night, much to the delight of everypony. A rather sullen pony known as “Dark Shadow” turns his home into a haunted house with the help of some of his friends.

The house is a large old style mansion surrounded by a small fenced garden. Several wooden tombstones have been placed all over the garden, and the old iron fence is covered in cobwebs. Lights flicker inside the house in dark greens and purples, and the occasional scream issues from within. From the gate a thin path snakes between the graves to the large red door. Nearby, a sign reads: “This way to your worst Nightmare!”

Out of nowhere, an earth pony appears, his long black mane obscuring his face, his coat the color of undriven snow. As screams and laughter echo from the house he whispers to the landing Moon Dusk in a dark and mysterious accent.

“Listen to the ponies in the night! What sweet music they make! Welcome to my realm. Enter freely, and leave some of the happiness you bring...”

Grand Pappy looks up from his mumbling. “Haunted House? Dearie, we’ve all been haunting since Princess Celestia fell,” he says before fading away.

Pterygota stands firm next to the adults, trying his best to be brave for his two friends. Biscuit clings to Moon Dusk in abject horror. While the last of the trio, Shimmer Shadow, seems to pale at the prospect of real ghosts. The kids make  it very well known they want to leave Grand Pappy’s house. This leads you to exit and wonder who could this “Sonny” character be that Grand Pappy spoke of. The calm night air of Nightmare Night is broken by a blood curdling scream.

As you investigate the noise, you see ponies spilling out of a nearby house. They look utterly terrified. A palomino mare rushes to your side and begs, “Please, you have to help us. There is some huge creature in there. The closer you get to it, the more it hurts your ears. Please, make it stop!”

The plea for help is punctuated by another earth shaking shriek. Do you enter the screeching manor? 

The children dance around you with glee. The houses passing out candy are thrilled to see you all. You are sure the kids already are stocking up on some serious amounts of sugar, and you have only just begun. Most notably, when you all stop to chat about how much fun you are having Biscuit tugs on your costume.

She seems very upset as she whimpers, “ Shimmer is cheating...”

Confused out how you could cheat at trick or treating, you all look up to see Shimmer Shadow stationed at the end of somepony’s walkway behind a bush. Every so often Ptreygota dashes to her and they split candy. Following where the changeling colt is going, you notice he keeps changing his look and knocking at the same house’s door.

“My, bee costumes seem very popular this year, “ the mare handing out candy says before giving him more candy.

Shimmer Shadow is having Pterygota change form to repeatedly hit the same house and split candy from their trick. You could see why Biscuit would call that cheating. When the two see you coming they play innocent and scamper to the next house.

“If Summer was here she would have kept them in line,” Biscuit pouts, clearly upset being a good girl did not get her as much candy as her trouble making peers.

As you suit up and take charge, the civilians and children alike comply.  Whether as a tactical plan or basic ancient pony instinct, the palomino mare and other civilians begin to circle close around the children. Thus, making sure if the monster spills into the streets it would have to get through every adult present before it could harm a child. Shadow Shimmer seems to be momentarily broken from her horrified state.The reason behind it being is seeing these three adults suit and prepare to launch head long into a dangerous situation. “There the real Power Ponies, “ she says breathlessly to the other kids, stars gleaming in her eyes.

The banshee opens her mouth to unleash another wail when she sees you all act. The looks of discomfort and the mouse tucked away from sight silences her scream before she begins again. You see her face change from abject horror of the mouse to shock of what she has done; and eventually floating down on the bed with shame. Her ears droop to the sides of her head as she lifts her head to speak. She begins to speak again; but quickly shuts her muzzle as the wails begin again. With a series of coughs, she struggles to lower her voice to a lower decibel range. 

“Oh...I am so sorry. This..This isn’t my home. I..I shouldn’t have came out of that house with the red door!” she says softly before erupting into another wail as she flees down the stairs and out into the streets.

You can hear the distressed screams of civilians as she races away. Shadow Shimmer looks out the door after her. She returns to exclaim, “She is headed to Mr. Dark Shadow’s house! He is putting on a haunted house this year. What if she hurts someone who thinks she is one of his scares?!”

“But, Mr. Dark Shadow loves putting on the haunted house. We gotta stop her before she hurts somebody and Mr. Dark Shadow blames himself for it,” Biscuit yips from Moon Dusk’s back. The young pup seems to have forgotten her own fear in the wake of someone else being in trouble. Pterygota buzzes his wings and prances anxiously from the door to Moon Dusk’s side to show his agreement on Biscuit’s idea.

The civilians that own the house thank you all for your help. They seem worried as they hear the children chatter. They mention Dark Shadow is a local poet with a flair for the dramatics and all things Nightmare Night. He is a good stallion. They fear for the safety of the patrons and Dark Shadow’s staff if the banshee has set her sights on his home.